3 Players the Twins Need to Sign Once MLB Lifts Freeze

The Minnesota Twins, on the back of the "Bomb Squad," mashed their way into the postseason before hitting a New York Yankees-sized roadblock in the ALDS.

Even with the 60-game season making 2020 a little bit of a crapshoot, the Twins should have as good a shot as anyone of taking home the AL Pennant. If Minnesota wants to make a few tweaks here and there to fine tune their roster, these three veteran free agents could be major boons for the Twins as they look to contend.

3. RP Pat Neshek

Philadelphia Phillies reliever Pat Neshek / Hunter Martin/Getty Images

Neshek started his career with the Twins, so why not come full circle and try to help a subpar Twins bullpen stay afloat? Neshek might have had a bit of a down year during his final season in Philadelphia, but from 2012 to 2018, he never posted an ERA above 3.62, making two All-Star teams and pushing his ERA under 2.00 three times in that span. Neshek's weird, janky motion is still hard to hit, and he would instantly be one of the best relievers Minnesota has to offer.

2. SP Clay Buchholz

Arizona Diamondbacks starter Clay Buchholz / John McCoy/Getty Images

If you look at Buchholz's last three seasons, he mustered just two games with the Phillies in 2017 and a subpar 6.56 ERA in 12 starts with the Blue Jays in 2019. In 2018, however, Buchholz pitched to a 2.01 ERA in 16 starts with the Arizona Diamondbacks, proving that when he's healthy and can command his offspeed stuff, he's just as unhittable as he was with the Red Sox. The race to be Minnesota's fifth starter is wide open, and Buchholz could earn that spot in the rotation if he recaptures his fantastic 2018 form.

1. OF Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig with the Cleveland Indians / Jason Miller/Getty Images

There are two philosophies that the most successful teams subscribe to when it comes to building champions. If Minnesota doesn't want to use free agency to patch holes, they could add to positions of strength by signing Puig. While the San Francisco Giants are hot on his tail, the Twins should make a run at Puig, the best player still available at this point. With legitimate power to all fields, solid defense, and enough speed to cause problems as a baserunner, Puig is an ideal backup outfielder that can spell any one of Minnesota's studs for a brief period.